Death toll from forest fires in Chile rises to 112

Borrell is ready to collaborate and provide help to the Chilean authorities in the face of the "devastating fires"

MADRID, 5 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Chilean authorities have raised this Sunday to 112 the number of fatalities from the fires affecting the Valparaíso region, in the central area of ​​the Chilean coast, where there are nearly 40,000 people affected by the destruction of homes.

The Undersecretary of the Interior, Manuel Monsalve, has confirmed this death toll, of which only 32 have been identified at the moment and 38 autopsies have been performed. He, in turn, has stated that they have concentrated "all capabilities to remove the bodies sector by sector."

"We are facing a national tragedy. The president has declared national mourning for two days, which demonstrates the magnitude of the impact that we have unfortunately faced in the Valparaíso region," Monsalve declared, according to the Chilean newspaper 'El Mercurio. '.

However, he stressed that conditions regarding fire control have "substantially improved": "Today there is no imminent risk to people's lives. An eventual control of the fires can be anticipated in the coming days, but They remain active and continue working.

According to current reports, there are 165 fires recorded in the country, eleven more than on Saturday, of which 40 are still in combat, 112 are controlled and four are extinguished.

The president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, has indicated that he has spoken with his Mexican counterpart, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who "has arranged different modalities of support" in this "very difficult moment", which is being coordinated through the Ministries of Exteriors. "How important solidarity is in hard times," he concluded.

For his part, the High Representative of Foreign Policy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, has declared that they are prepared to "collaborate and provide help." "Chile is once again facing devastating fires with numerous fatalities, reminding us of the ravages of drought and climate. I convey my support and solidarity to the Government and the Chilean people," he indicated.

Hours earlier, the governor of Valparaíso, Rodrigo Mundaca, stressed that these fires "are intentional" and have "become homicides, so the recorded deaths, among which there are minors, cannot go unpunished." "We are going to persecute them, we are going to look for them and we are going to imprison them," he concluded.